We know that children comprise the victim list in many acts of violence. As we gaze upon the innocent faces of our leaders of tomorrow we may wonder how a person could commit any crime against these little people. Now let’s take another look at some of them. History tells us that some of these little darlings; more than you might suspect, are the perpetrators of some of the most heinous crimes known to man. Not only have some of these rascals murdered, they have become, by definition, serial killers.

I remember Lyle and Eric Menendez and their high-profile trial in 1994 for the 1989 murder of their parents. These young men assassinated their wealthy parents and attempted to use child abuse as a defense. At the time I thought that it got no worse than that; children that killed their own parents had to be the worse crime ever. A while back I did a post on mommy murderers, highlighting some of the most ungrateful, thoughtless acts that could be committed by a son or daughter. These young people take the cake however, they have crossed the line of depravity from being murderers they have entered the realm of being serial killers and with that, they have made their way into my blog; with that I present to you seven of the youngest serial killers in the world.

Gordon Stewart Northcott was responsible for a group of murders known as the Wineville Chickencoop Murders. Northcott kidnapped, sexually abused, and murdered at least three, and possibly as many as twenty or more young boys in the Los Angeles andRiverside county areas between 1926-1928. In 1926, Northcott, a 19-year-old Canadian born chicken ranch owner, took his 13-year-old nephew Sanford Clark, from the boy’s home in Canada to his ranch in Wineville, CA under the guise of showing him the ropes of ranching. However, once young Sanford arrived, Northcott immediately forced him into slavery The young boy waited on his uncle hand and foot and in return he would be beaten and raped regularly. Sanford also assisted Northcott in luring small boys to the ranch where they too would be beaten and sodomized. When he tired of the boys he would pimp them out to a network of rich pedophiles. Northcott’s mother assisted her son in his crimes against children. It would be Sarah Louise Northcott that gave Gordon the notion to murder the boys when he was done with them. Previous to this Northcott would generally drive his victims home after he has had his way with them. Following his mother’s advice, Northcott either shot or hit the victim in the head with an ax after defiling the boys.

The first known murder was to a young Mexican boy with whom Northcott had argued with. Northcott shot the boy and beheaded him. Northcott forced Clark to help dispose of the head by burning it in a fire pit and then crushing the skull. He then left the headless body by the side of the road. Though it is believed that Northcott murdered a great number of boys, due to a lack of evidence, he was only charged with the murder of 3 and an accomplice in one. Lewis and Nelson Winslow and of Walter Collins were killed by ax. With the assistance of his mother and nephew, he would then dissolve the flesh from the corpse using quicklime. The remains were buried in shallow graves on the ranch.

Authorities first became knowledgeable of Northcott’s crimes when Sanford’s sister Jessie came to the Wineville ranch for a visit. Sanford, 15 years old at this time told his older sister everything concerning the crimes their uncle and grandmother had committed. Jessie went to the authorities and reported every horrid detail that her younger brother had told her. To ensure proper handling of this case, Los Angeles Police Department contacted the United States Immigration Service to determine facts relative to Jessie’s complaint and Sanford’s status in the country. Immigration officers visited the ranch; finding Sanford there alone they immediately took him into custody. During the ensuing investigation, partial remains of the Winslow boys, as well as Walter Collins, were found. Northcott and his mother, Sarah Louise, fled to Canada but were arrested near Vernon, British Columbia on September 19, 1928. During questioning Northcott alternated between confessing his guilt in these and other murders to adamantly professing his innocence in all charges. Northcott was eventually sentenced to death for the murders of Lewis and Nelson Winslow. Sarah Louise Northcott pleads guilty to the murder of Walter Collins and was sentenced to life. On October 2, 1930, 23-year-old Gordon Stewart Northcott was hanged at San Quentin State Prison.

The South African murderer and rapist, Norman Afzal Simons be killing on September 29th, 1986 at the age of 19. In October, authorities found the body of 14-year-old Jonathan Claasen near Modderdam station in Bellville South. The local media dubbed Simons the “Station Strangler,” as he is believed to have lured his victims away from train stations. From October 1986 until April 1994, at least 22 boys were found murdered and buried face down in shallow sandy graves, their hands tied behind their backs and bearing the signs of having been sodomized.

Simons, was quite an intelligent individual, he played classical music and spoke seven languages fluently. Employed as a Grade 5 teacher at Alpine Primary School in East Ridge, Mitchell’s Plain; it is not known whether his victims came directly from his student contact or students associated to those in his class. What is known is that Simons raped and sodomized his victims before strangling them. All victims were young boys aged between 9 and 13 from the Cape Malays community. In 1994 Simons was arrested and thought to be South Africa’s most prolific serial killer. During questioning investigators asked him the motive behind his murders, he alleged that as a child his stepbrother raped and sodomized him. He went on to inform investigators that his stepbrothers spoke to him, forcing him to rape and murder young boys; even though his stepbrother was murdered in 1991.

Though all victims displayed similar modus operandi and prima facie evidence showed Simons was probably responsible for the deaths, Simons was found guilty of only a single kidnap, rape and murder case. In 1995, Norman Afzal Simons was sentenced to 25 years for murder and 10 years for kidnapping Elroy van Rooy.

Born to a 17-year-old factory worker, Peter Woodcock was put up for adoption and shuffled around from foster home to foster home. In at least one of those homes young Peter was abused by foster parents very early in his life. By the age of two, he had been so badly treated that he was afraid of most people and would scream loudly when approached. At the age of three Woodcock was placed into the stable home of Frank and Susan Maynard, but by then the damage was done. By the age of five he would no longer scream when approached; instead, he would cower into the nearest corner. This act of cowering when nervous lasted through his adolescent years. As a pre-teen and into his teenage years he was bullied incessantly due to his lack of social skills. When walking home he would wander off his path a great deal. Initially, he wandered to avoid bullies; he continued to wander to find small boys to abuse, rape, and to…………kill.

Peter owned a red and white Schwinn bicycle. He would ride his bike, leading his make believe gang of 500 boys on bikes called the ‘Winchester Heights Gang.’ He and his “gang” would ride around Toronto sexually assaulting children. On September 15, 1956; Woodcock lured 7 year old Wayne Mallette into a secluded area and strangled him to death. During the assault, Woodcock bit him on his calf and butt then defecated next to the body. The following month Woodcock picked up 9-year-old Gary Morris and took him to a nearby beach on his bike. Once he was away from any potential witness Woodcock strangled and beat the child to death. Oddly, in each case, the children’s clothes looked as if they had been stripped from them then redressed.

In January of 1957 witnesses saw a teenager fitting Woodcock’s description riding a bicycle with 4-year-old Carole Voyce on it. Her body was found under a viaduct naked. She had been choked unconscious with a tree branch shoved into her vaginal area. A composite sketch was created based on witness descriptions and Woodcock was arrested. During questioning, Woodcock confessed to all three murders. Due to a lack of evidence as well as witnesses Woodcock was only charged in Voyce’s murder. After a four-day trial, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was sent to the Oak Ridge Mental Health Centre. During his time there he engaged in homosexual activity with other inmates. He would trick inmates into giving him oral sex by offering them membership into his imaginary gang, the Brotherhood.

In 1991, after 35 years of incarceration, Woodcock, who had legally changed his name to David Michael Krueger was receiving his first weekend pass. Within an hour of receiving his pass he and Bruce Hamill (an inmate turned guard) murdered Dennis Kerr. Kerr had previously rejected Woodcock’s sexual advances but was meeting Woodcock/Krueger under the pretense of Krueger loaning him 500 dollars. Kerr arrived at the meeting location patiently waiting for Krueger. Unbeknownst to him, Krueger and Hamill were already there, waiting for the perfect time to strike. Suddenly, Krueger struck him in the head with a pipe wrench and continued to beat him into unconsciousness. Krueger and Hamill then seized the hatchet and knife they had hidden in the bushes while waiting for Kerr’s arrival and hacked and stabbed Kerr, mutilating his body, cutting it open, and nearly severing his head. Drenched in Kerr’s blood, they then stripped themselves naked and sodomized the corpse.

Woodstock spent the rest of his life under criminally psychiatric care. He died on March 5, 2010 his 71st birthday.

This Argentinian serial killer kicked his murderous life off at the tender age of 16. Born with syphilis on Halloween of 1896, he was one of eight boys born to drunk, abusive parents. He started off fucked up. Godino enjoyed killing cats, birds, whatever he could get his hands on. He also found solace in starting fires. At seven he beat up a 2-year-old and tossed him into a ditch. At 8 he beat a little girl with a rock. In both instances, authorities released him to his parents. When he was 10, he was accused of being a serial masturbator. His parents brought him to the local police and he ended up going to jail for 2 months for THAT.

In January of 1912, Godino set a warehouse on fire. He told police how he loved to start fires and seeing the firemen fall into the flames. The following week the body of 13-year-old Arturo Laurona, was found inside of an abandoned building. In March, Godino set fire to the dress of Reyna Vainicoff a five-year-old girl who lived nearby. She lived for a couple days after the incident but eventually succumbed to her injuries. Throughout the year of 1912, Godino became a menace to Buenos Aries by setting fires and attempting to murder area children. In December 1912, Godino lured 18-month-old Jesualdo Giordano into a shed by offering him sweets. The baby followed and once out of sight, Godino tried to choke him with his belt. When that didn’t work he used the belt to tie his hands and legs and commenced to beating the infant. He then went in search of a long nail. Once he found one to his liking, he then hammered the nail into the side of the baby’s head. When his father attempted to locate the lost infant, Godino denied seeing the child. A short time later the father found the corpse. During the wake later that evening Godino was seen admiring his handiwork, he touched the nail on the side of the deceased child’s head. The following morning Godino was arrested for murder.

Unsure where to house the young murderer authorities placed Godino into a reformatory. Even here the murderous demons called out to Godino as he attempted to kill several of the other inmates there. A judge discontinued his case in December of 1913 finding Godino insane thus allowing him to remain at the reformatory. However, in November of 1915, an appeal was approved ordering him to be moved to jail. In 1933, Godini spent a great deal of time in the prison hospital. Two men had attacked Godino for killing their pet cats. From 1935 onwards, he was always ill and received no visitors until he died on November 15, 1944 under strange circumstances.

In 1987 at the age of 13, Craig Chandler Price murdered his neighbor Rebecca Spencer, a 27-year-old mother of two. Price, a peeping tom; watched the young mother on several occasions from several vantage points he’d constructed. This time, however, was different; he crept across a neighbor’s yard and broke into the woman’s home. Price then grabbed knives from the kitchen and proceeded to stab her 58 times. Initially, the murders went unsolved until two years later in 1989, at the age of 15 Price struck again. He viciously murdered 39-year-old Joan Heaton, as well as her two daughters; 10-year-old Jennifer, and 8-year-old Melissa. Price was so malicious in his attack that pieces of the knives broke in the bone of the three victims.

Police on the scene noticed the familiarity in the two murder scenes. Price stabbed Heaton over 62 times and the children approximately 30 times. Both victims showed the bite marks left by the perpetrator. Once outed as the potential assailant, Price nonchalantly gave a vivid account of all four murders. He told how he bit Heaton’s face as he stabbed her repeatedly. He mimicked the last sounds of the dying girls. As he gave his accounts of these horrific crimes his mother sat next to him crying in disbelief at the words that were being spewed carelessly from her son’s mouth. The description given by his son sent Price’s father vomiting.

The scary though is that Price committed these heinous acts as a juvenile. He actually should’ve been released by now but, due to crimes committed during his incarceration. I don’t know if he has indicated any level of remorse for his actions. In my gut, I feel like we haven’t heard the last of Craig Chandler Price.

Amarjeet Sada is undoubtedly the world’s youngest serial killer. Born in Begusaray, Bihar, India in 1998; Sada began killing in 2006. At the age of 7, Sada murdered his six-month old cousin. The same year Sada murdered his own 8 month old sister, both by strangulation. In 2007 Sada kidnapped and murdered a woman’s six month old baby. Reports vary on just how Sada took the baby. Some witnesses say that Sada eased the baby off of its sleeping mother’s lap. Others say that the mother had left her daughter to sleep at her village primary school while she attended to household chores and returned to find she had disappeared. Unfortunately, what is known is that Sada strangled the infant then laid the baby on the grass and started smashing her face repeatedly. Afterwards Sada covered the body with grass and leaves, and came back to his house. When asked about the whereabouts of the child Sada denied having seen it. Later in the evening, her relatives found the baby dead.

Though he had two previous murders, authorities were only notified about this one. Sada’s family chose to deal with the first two themselves as they were considered, ”family matters.” Sada was placed under arrest and sent to a Begusarai remand home. During questioning, Sada confessed to the murders, never once showing any signs of remorse. Throughout the interrogation he simply smiled at the officers and asked for biscuits.

In less than a month, the Dnepropetrovsk maniacs killed at least 21 people in the Ukraine. Beginning June 25, 2007, these 19 year olds attacked random citizens with a hammer, bludgeoning them to death just for the thrill of killing. Born Viktor Sayenko, Alexander Hanzha and Igor Suprunyuk; the media dubbed them, “Dnepropetrovsk maniacs” from the town in the Ukraine in which they reside and committed the majority of their murders. They gained worldwide attention because the killers made video recordings of some of the murders, with one of the videos leaking to the internet.

Their murderous rampage began with murdering small animals. During their confessions they told investigators that they met each other at the age of 14. The three youths would help each other conquer their personal fears. To address a fear of heights, they hung over the railing of a 14th floor balcony. It is reported that Hanzha had a fear of blood which lead to torturing stray dogs. The boys captured dogs in a wooded area near their house, hanged them from trees, disemboweled them, and took pictures next to the corpses. By the time they were 17 they had moved on to strong arm and armed robberies. Suprunyuk owned a green Daewoo Lanos. The car was used as an unofficial cab which was used to rob passengers.

On June 25, 2007 they began a murder spree that would take at least 21 innocent lives in less than a month’s time. A combination of witnesses and pawned personal property of the victims led to their capture on July 23rd, 2007. Once apprehended the three men were charged with involvement in 29 separate incidents, including 21 murders and eight more attacks where victims survived. Suprunyuk was charged with 27 of the cases, including 21 counts of capital murder, eight armed robberies, and one count of animal cruelty. Sayenko was charged with 25 instances, including 18 murders, five robberies and one count of animal cruelty. Hanzha was only charged with two counts of armed robbery as he was not present for any of the murders. In less than a month, Suprunyuk and Sayenko attacked and killed 21 children, women, elderly, vagrants, or people under the influence of alcohol. The suspects’ mobile phones and personal computers contained multiple video recordings of the murders. Many of their videos were recorded simply for their own sick pleasure. They were also witnessed and videoed attending funerals of the victims. The video that gained the most notoriety is the leaked video of the murder of Sergei Yatzenko. Uploaded to a gore site and entitled 3 Guys 1 Hammer; (Warning: Very Graphic Video) Sayenko and Suprunyuk can be seen murdering Yatzenko.

Sayenko and Suprunyuk were sentenced to life in prison. Hanzaha was sentenced to nine years for the robberies.

As we see in these 7 instances; these young people are perfect examples of innocence lost; all murderers, just as prolific as their adult counterparts. Were these children victims of society somehow or were they born with a depravity gene? As you delve into the lives of these young people; you become the judge.

It is a sad but true fact of life that child abuse and neglect exists in our world. An even darker fact is that children often comprise a great many of serial murder victims. Day after day, local and national media services report to the world circumstances surrounding some depraved act committed against a child. Our cell phones even notify us when a child has been victimized. Ironically, many of these predators are people that are considered “pillars of the community” or “stand-up citizens”.

Wayne Williams, the Atlanta child murderer, is the child of 2 career school teachers.

Wayne Williams, Atlanta Child Murderer

Growing up in the Dixie Hills neighborhood of southwest Atlanta, Williams was not impoverished. A trusted member of the community, the 23-year-old Williams was arrested on June 21, 1981, for the murders of 27-year-old Nathaniel Cater and 29-year-old Jimmy Ray Payne. Williams first became a suspect in the Atlanta Child Murders during the investigations into those murders. During the two-month trial, prosecutors matched nineteen different sources of fibers from Williams’ home and car environment; his bedspread, bathroom, gloves, clothes, carpets, dog and an unusual carpet fiber to a number of victims whose bodies had been found. Williams also failed three polygraph tests throughout the investigation. On February 27, 1982; Wayne Williams was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Another well-known case of child abuse and murder committed by a great American citizen was that of John Wayne Gacy; the Killer Clown. Gacy would perform as a “Pogo the Clown” for fundraising events, parades, and children’s parties, thereby gaining the trust of children and parents alike. The trust he established with his community led to the corpses of 33 teenage boys being found on or near his property. Between 1972 and 1978, John Wayne Gacy sexually assaulted, tortured and murdered at least 33 young men

Killer Clown John Wayne Gacy

right here in Crook, I mean Cook County, Illinois. Gacy buried 26 of his victims in the crawlspace of his home. Three other victims were buried elsewhere on his property, while the bodies of his last four known victims were discarded in the nearby Des Plaines River. The youngest of Gacy’s known victims was just 14 years old.

Child murder is not something new. As long as there have been children, there has been child murder. Gilles de Rais was born in 1405 to a life of privilege a member of the House of Montmorency-Laval. Following the deaths of his father and mother in 1415, deRais and his brother were raised by his wealthy maternal grandfather. Through family wealth, de Rais was well versed in the life of an aristocrat. As an adult, deRais married Catherine de Thouars of Brittany; a wedding arranged by his grandfather. This marriage increased deRais’ net worth substantially. From 1427 to 1435, Gilles served as a commander in the Royal Army, distinguishing himself from the troops by exhibiting awe-inspiring bravery and courage. In 1429, he

Joan of Arc

joined forces with Joan of Arc in some of the campaigns waged against the English as he was present with Joan when the Siege of Orléans ended. He commanded valiantly during the Hundred Years’ War, for which he was appointed Marshal of France. Lauded as a war hero; de Rais’ retired from military life in 1435.

It was after his military service when his life made a distinct turn for the bizarre. Fond of the theater, deRais used the last of his fortune to promote and produce a theatrical performance resulting in a flop; to term it mildly. Desperate and distraught about being in financial ruins; deRais turned to the occult for guidance. Seeking any and everyone that studied alchemy, magic and demon summoning so that he may acquire some level of riches despite what may be required of him at a later time.

Bringing his books of magic; François Prelati of Florence, answered Gilles request. The two retreated to the lower hall of his castle at Tiffauges, there they attempted to summon a demon named Barron. Prelati entertained Gilles for hours with stories of his exploits with the demon Barron, ensuring him that the demon would indeed return him to a prosperous state. After three tries and no demon, Prelati; attempting to save face and reputation, reported to Gilles that the demon, Barron was angry and required an offering of children parts for his services.

Gilles deRais’ insatiable desire to regain some semblance of his previous wealth caused him to go mad and commit the unthinkable. It is said the child murders began at Champtocé-sur-Loire, however, no records exist of his exploits. What is documented is

Gilles deRais

that after Gilles moved to Machecoul, he sodomized then killed, or ordered to be killed countless numbers of children. Gilles would have his most loyal servants procure his victims, seeking out and apprehending unaccompanied children wandering the countryside or nearby villages. Gilles preferred boys, thinking himself a connoisseur of sorts; he would have his servants go out and find the boys with the fairest skin or the sleekest, toned limbs; keeping the most handsome of the decapitated heads and kissing them with the passion of a lover. When boys weren’t available girls would serve as victims. Disgusted by the thought of vaginal intercourse, Gilles would sodomize the girls as he had done to the boys. Oh, and one more note; sodomy would come pre or post mortem.

All children taken by Gilles were decapitated, most by braquemard; but periodically he would like to mix it up, depending on his moods and appetite for torture. Sometimes he or his servants used an axe, other times they severed the head from the body with dirks, daggers, and knives. Fascinated with torture and the act of dying, Gilles would stab a child in the neck and watch as the blood streamed down the neck. Mesmerized as he watched the essence of life leave their little bodies, de Rais would masturbate on the child’s bloody belly until he ejaculated. When not seeking sexual satisfaction but just personal pleasure deRais had their bodies cruelly cut open and taking delight at the sight of their inner organs; as the children lay dying, he would sit on their stomachs and laugh as he watched them die. The child murders went on for years with the body count innumerable.

On May 15, 1440, deRais’ kidnapping of a priest from Church of Saint-Étienne-de-Mer-Morte led to the Bishop of Nantes initiating an investigation. Testimonies from the parents of many of these missing children as well as witnesses convinced the judges that there were adequate grounds for establishing the guilt of the accused. Area residents testified to children begging for food near Gilles’ castle and never being seen again. Gilles accomplices Poitou and Henriet gave testimony so graphic many attendees were forced to leave the proceedings. Due to the intensity of the inquiry deRais was compelled to confess to his child murders. The exact number of children murdered at the hand of Gilles is unknown, some number into the high hundreds. For their crimes, Gilles, Poitou, and Henriet were hung then cremated.

Crimes against children are nothing new. Here we have child rape, torture, and murder at its worst. I’ve always felt that there is a special place in hell reserved for those that harm children. Gilles deRais took the lives of 100s of children simply because he could. The fact that he got away with it for as long as he did is inconceivable. Hundreds of children disappeared from a relatively small, sparsely populated rural area. How does this happen? I know that they didn’t have the technological amenities that we have today but damn; kids come up missing, simply vanished and day to day life simply just goes on.

“Based on a true story” or “Based on actual events” are two phrases that, when added to the synopsis or plot of a production adds intrigue and peaks added interest in the mind of the viewer or reader. A few of my favorite movies bore this phrase.THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE was inspired by the life and crimes of Ed Gein.

Ed Gein

The movie CHILD’S PLAY was based upon Robert Eugene Otto’s doll that was said to be possessed. One of my all-time favorite movies is THE HILLS HAVE EYES. Until recently I’d always assumed that the storyline and plot had simply come from the mind of Wes Craven. Imagine the amazement that I felt when I discovered that the events of this movie really happened, mind you it was some 500 years ago, but it HAPPENED.

For those that don’t do horror. THE HILLS HAVE EYES is a movie about a family of mutants that reside in the deserts of New Mexico. In the movie, it is hinted that the mutated state of this family came as a result of military weapons experiments. As the movie unfolds we soon realize that this mutant family consists of inbred cannibals that make meals out of unsuspecting travelers. For those that haven’t seen the movie I will end my description here but as I said previously, I always assumed that the movie was as fictional as a movie can get. During my nonstop search of the acts of depravity committed by mankind, I found that I had been completely mistaken with my assumptions about this movie.

It seems that some 500 years ago the Bean family lived in Scotland. According to the legend, Alexander “Sawney” Bean was born during the 1500s. His father was what we consider a landscaper in modern terminology. Young Sawney Bean wanted no parts in that manner of work. Considering himself a gentleman of leisure, he wanted a less

strenuous and more lucrative manner of bringing in an income. As a young man, he met and married a sinister woman with the same ideals and lack of morals. Together they procreated and brought forth 14 children into the world. These 14 children became devout practitioners of incest and soon the family expanded to the 48 member clan recorded in history.

As previously stated the couple, unwilling to work in the traditional capacity; raised their family with the same lack of work ethic. Needing housing, the Bean clan took residency in a coastal cave where they lived undiscovered for some twenty-five years. The cave was 200 yards deep and during high tide, the entrance was blocked by water. Needing income and food, the clan developed a plan to satisfy both sets of needs. Under the cover of night, the Bean clan would attack those that journeyed near their lair as their cave remained unseen to most. Unsuspecting travelers were ambushed by the family members and robbed. Clan members would also take their victims deep into their caves where they were killed and cannibalized. Uneaten body parts were either pickled for future use or cast into the nearby lake. It is said that their victim’s number in the thousands as people just disappeared from nearby villages and towns

Local villagers noted the disappearance of travelers but were totally unaware of an entire family living in the cave. As more and more people came up missing searches were organized but few ever noticed the cave and those that did refuse to believe that anything remotely human could live inside of it. During searches, several innocent people were taken into custody and killed in their search for justice. Innkeepers of the area often caught much of the suspicion as they were often the last people to see many of the disappeared. Though others were executed the disappearances did not stop. That was until one night, the Beans attacked a newlywed couple. Unbeknownst to the Beans, the couple rode ahead of a massive wedding party that followed the couple. As they jumped the couple they soon found that the male was a skilled fighter however the wife was fatally wounded during the melee. While attempting to subdue the groom the rest of the wedding party moved forward and witnessed the attack initiated by the Beans. Realizing that they had finally been exposed the clan hastily retreated into the cave.

3several innocent people were taken into custody and killed in their search for justice. Innkeepers of the area often caught much of the suspicion as they were often the last people to see many of the disappeared. Though others were executed the disappearances did not stop. That was until one night, the Beans attacked a newlywed couple. Unbeknownst to the Beans, the couple rode ahead of a massive wedding party that followed the couple. As they jumped the couple they soon found that the male was a skilled fighter however the wife was fatally wounded during the melee. While attempting to subdue the groom the rest of the wedding party moved forward and witnessed the attack initiated by the Beans. Realizing that they had finally been exposed the clan hastily retreated into the cave.

The king soon received a detailed report of the on-goings of the evening. Infuriated, he led a 400 member manhunt into the cave. While there they were shocked to find human remains pickled in mason jars as well as simply cast to the side of the cave interior. Shocked by what they had seen during the manhunt the whole clan was immediately taken into custody. Charged with murder and treason, the clan was executed without a trial. The men had their genitalia cut off, hands and feet severed, and were allowed to bleed to death; the women and children, after watching the men die, were burned alive.

The story of Sawney Bean is one of Scotland’s most shocking and gruesome legends. Over time it has turned into somewhat of an urban legend, a piece of folklore so to speak. The thing is that, while attempting to research and verify the existence of Alexander “Sawney” Bean, actual historical documents, such as newspapers and diaries during the era when Sawney Bean was supposedly active, make no specific mention of him or his clan. However, research did cite several instances of the disappearance of a great many people during the reign of King James VI of Scotland as well as that of James I of England. Furthermore, we do know that cannibalism was not unknown in medieval Scotland. All of these facts lead me to believe that the Bean story may have a basis of truth but the precise dating of events has become obscured over the years. Through research, I found that the Sawney Bean legend closely resembles the story of Christie-Cleek.

Christie-Cleek, whose real name was Andrew Christie, a butcher during the mid-fourteenth century. A severe famine-plagued Scotland in 1340. During this time Christie joined a group of scavengers in the foothills of the Grampians. A member of the party died of starvation; Christie wasted no time in putting his skills to work on the corpse and provided his companions with a hearty meal. Over time the group developed a taste for human flesh and under Christie’s leadership, they began to ambush unsuspecting travelers. Letting nothing go to waste the party would feed on their bodies as well as the bodies of their horses. It is alleged that before attacking, Christie’s apparent weapon of choice was a hook on a rod. Using this he would snatch his victims from their mounts and commence the attack, this implement was the “cleke” (i.e., “crook”) from which his nickname was derived. It is said that no less than thirty riders died at Christie’s hands. Eventually, the company was defeated by the king’s armed forces. Everyone was taken into custody; everyone except for Christie himself, who supposedly escaped and re-entered society under a new name. It is said the man known as Christie-Cleek died many years later, a married man and prosperous merchant.

In our society, the mere thought of cannibalism shocks us to our core, however; we are well aware of the fact that we share this world with all manner of people. History shows us that humans are capable of all manner of atrocities just as we are capable of greatness beyond measure. As I sit and actually think; is it really that big of a stretch to believe that the acts depicted in The Hills Have Eyes really happened somewhere? As I sit and read back over past posts as well as watch the local news, I really must admit to myself; no, not at all.

In The Darker Side of Evil we took a look at 10 of the most deadly Black serial killers in history. We also examined the media’s role in facilitating their crime spree. Several months of research has gone into this list. I’m basing inclusion on several factors such as body count, level of depravity, manner of murder, contrast between public and private life and post mortem victim interaction, (necrophilia, cannibalism etc.) I’ve put together a list of 10 of the most prolific serial killers of all time. Some of the names mentioned you will recognize from past posts, others are brand new to you and me. The list is not in any particular order but through my findings these are indeed 10 of the most depraved serial killers ever.

Edmund Kemper

Edmund Kemper

Edmund began his murderous career on August 27, 1964 at the tender age of 15. Kemper’s paternal grandmother, Maude Matilda Hughey Kemper, was sitting at her kitchen table working on her latest children’s book when she and Edmund had an argument. Enraged bythe argument, Kemper stormed off and grabbed the .22 caliber rifle which his grandfather had given him for hunting. He then fatally shot her in the head before firing twice more into her back. From that point Kemper dragged her body out of the kitchen and into her bedroom. Edmund returned from inside the house just as Ed Kemper Sr. returned home from buying groceries. Edmund took aim and shot him in the back of the head as he began to unload the truck. Confused, dazed and worried about the heinous acts he had just committed, he called his mother Clarnell in Montana. After a half an hour of pleading she finally convinced Kemper to call the sheriff. After confessing to both murders. Edmund Kemper, at 15 years old, was diagnosed a paranoid schizophrenic as well as being psychotic and sentenced to Atascadero State Hospital, criminally insane unit.

Released on his 21st birthday and held his murderous urges in check until May of 1972. From that point he went on an 11 month killing spree that included five college co-eds, one high school student, his mother and his mother’s best friend. It was not only his victims that got Kemper included to this list. Unlike most serial killers Kemper did not have a specific manner of murdering his victims, he would shoot, stab, smother or strangle them. He would then take their lifeless bodies back to his home where he would perform irrumatio on their severed heads, have sex with their corpses and then dissect and dismember them. Edmund Kemper was indicted on eight counts of first-degree murder. On November 8, 1973, a jury convened for five hours before declaring Kemper sane and guilty on all counts. Judge Harry F. Brauer, ignoring Kemper’s request for the death penalty; sentenced Kemper to seven years to life for each count, with these terms to be served concurrently, and was sentenced to the California Medical Facility for incarceration and medical observation.

Carl Panzram

Carl Panzram

Evil personified is the only way to truly describe Carl Panzram with any level of accuracy. The only time this man smiled is when he caused pain, degradation and death to his many victims. Born June 28, 1891, Panzram was a serial killer, rapist, arsonist and burglar. Based on his autobiography, Panzram suffered a myriad of abuses during his youth. Caught for shoplifting at the age of 12 Panzram was sent to the Minnesota State Training School. According to his journals and personal testimony it was here that he was repeatedly beaten and tortured by staff members. Released from the school in 1905, Carl was a teenage alcoholic and constantly in trouble with the authorities. He ran away from home at the age of 14 and traveled via train cars. It was during this period in his life that Panzram claimed that on one train he was gang raped by a group of hobos.

As a young adult Panzram became a thief to survive. On June 1, 1915, Panzram burglarized a house in Astoria, Oregon and was arrested soon after while attempting to sell some of the stolen items. He was sentenced to seven years in prison. The ever defiant Panzram waged a war against the staff of the Oregon State Penitentiary and escaped from custody on at least two occasions; once for good.

In 1920 Panzram began his murderous rampage. While living in New York he would lure sailors on leave away from the local taverns. Panzram would then rape and murder the intoxicated sailors, shoot them and dump their bodies in the river. Upon his final capture in 1929 Panzram summed up his life in this statement, “In my lifetime I have murdered 21 human beings, I have committed thousands of burglaries, robberies, larcenies, arsons and, last but not least, I have committed sodomy on more than 1,000 male human beings. For all these things I am not in the least bit sorry.”

Carl Panzram’s victims ranged from 10 year old boys on up. Panzram didn’t care about race of his victim, he didn’t care if the victim was alive or dead, just as long as he could destroy and *. His reign of destruction and degradation came to an end on September 5, 1930 when he was executed

Ahmad Suradji

Ahmad Suradji

Ahmad Suradji was a well-respected 48 year-old witch doctor in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra. Born on January 10, 1949 and raised as a cattle-breeder; many in Indonesia trusted the man for guidance on matters such as love and money and health. Suradji, using aliases such as “Nasib Kelewang” and “Datuk Maringgi”, billed himself as a shaman, able to heal any and all of his people’s ailments. Innocent women would come to see this sorcerer who had promised them financial gains or potions to making themselves beautiful or more attractive to male suitors. Many women brought their daughters seeking remedies. Suradji took his female clients to a sugarcane field near his home in western Indonesia. As a part of their “healing” process he buried them up to the waist. Once immobilized into the ground, Suradji would strangle them. Immediately after death Suradji would drink the saliva emitted from the corpse’ mouth, a ritual that he believed enhanced his powers. He would then dig the victims up and rebury them with their heads facing his house, which he believed would give him extra power as a sorcerer.

The serial killer was arrested in May 1997 following the discovery of a body in the field in Lubukpakan, a village in North Sumatra province. Upon searching his property the bodies of women ranging from 11 years old to 30 years old were found buried. During interrogation he admitted to murdering 42 female victims. When asked why Suradji told police that in 1988 his father’s ghost came to him in a dream and told him to kill 70 women and carry out the ritual so that he could become a “dukan”, or mystic healer. On Monday, 27 April, 1998 a Sumatra court sentenced Ahmad Suradji to death. Originally indicted with Suradji were his three wives, (all sisters) however the only one found guilty was his senior wife, Tumini. Tumini was sentenced to life imprisonment. Ahmad Suradji was executed by firing squad on July 10, 2008.

Andrei Chikatilo

Andrei Chikatilo

After much deliberation it is the decision of the author that both of these Russian nightmares be included in our list. The atrocities committed by Andrei Chikatilo and Alexander Pichushkin embody the essence of depravity. Chikatilo, known by names such as The Butcher of Rostov or The Red Ripper or The Forest Strip Killer or The Rostov Ripper committed the sexual assault, murder, and mutilation of at least 52 victims between 1978 and 1990 in the Russian SFSR, the Ukrainian SSR and the Uzbek SSR.

Oddly enough, Chikatilo began his life of perversion as a teacher. During a swimming session in 1973, he molested a 15 year old girl. While groping her breasts and genitals he ejaculated as she attempted to escape his grasp. In the same school, months later he sexually assaulted a female student he had locked in his classroom. Chikatilo was seen on several instances fondling himself in the presence of his students. Remarkably, Chikatilo was never once disciplined for any of his actions.

In December of 1978 Chikatilo attempted to rape a 9 year old girl. Unable to attain sexual gratification in the rape itself, Chikatilo ejaculated as he repeatedly stabbed the child in the abdomen. He then proceeded to strangle the rest of the life out of the little girl and simply tossed her body into the nearby Grushevka River. Andrei then went off the murder grid until 1981. In September of that year he met 17 year old Larisa Tkachenko standing at a bus stop. As he assaulted her he forced mud into her mouth and strangled her. Chikatilo the mutilated her by continuously biting her body, even going as far as to biting off one of the girl’s nipples. Nine months later he murdered 13 year old Lyubov Biryuk. Chikatilo inflicted 22 stab and slash wounds on the child’s head, neck, chest, and pelvic regions. From July to September 5 more women, ranging in age from nine to 18, were murdered in Chikatilo’s signature style of stabbing and strangulation.

Under constant observation authorities were sure that Chikatilo was the unknown murderer. In September 1984 Chikatilo was observed by an undercover detective attempting to lure young women away from a nearby bus stop. At that time Chikatilo was under investigation for theft; this gave authorities legal right to hold him for a prolonged period of time. While in custody, a sample of Chikatilo’s blood was taken and screened against semen samples found on the six victims allegedly murdered by Chikatilo throughout the spring and summer of 1984. The results of the blood type analysis largely discounted him as being the unknown killer. Chikatilo was found guilty of theft however, and served three months in prison. Authorities never quit investigating the murders, at times in a rush to judgment, innocents were incarcerated. Such was the case in 1984. Russian police had charged several mentally handicapped youths for more using coerced confessions. In October of 1984 evidence linked Chikatilo to 23 murders as a result of this the head of the Russian Public Prosecutors Office formally dropped charges against the previously charged youths.

In December of 1984 Chikatilo was released after serving his time for the theft conviction. He soon acquired employment with a locomotive factory in Novocherkassk. Andrei was able to keep his murderous impulses in check until the summer of 1985. In August of 1985 he met and murdered an 18-year-old woman, named Natalia Pokhlistova. Four weeks later, on 27 August, Chikatilo killed another young woman, Irina Gulyaeva, in Shakhty.

Chikatilo seemed to drop off of the map until early 1988. From that point the bodies of 19 more female victims would be found. Andrei had been under surveillance during this time however evidence against him was non existent until it was discovered that, unbeknownst to them at the time the blood test was taken, Chikatilo’s type A blood was a member of a minority group known as “non-secretors”, whose blood type cannot be inferred by anything other than a blood sample. As police only had a sample of semen, and not blood, from the crime scenes, Chikatilo was able to escape suspicion of murder. A frustrated police department enlisted the assistance of psychiatrist, Alexandr Bukhanovsky, who refined the profile of the killer, describing him as a “necro-sadist”, or someone who achieves sexual gratification from the suffering and death of others. Bukhanovsky also placed the killer’s age as between 45 and 50, significantly older than had been believed up to that point. Desperate to catch the killer, Burakov even interviewed a serial killer, Anatoly Slivko, shortly before his execution, in an attempt to gain some insight into his elusive serial killer.

Andrei Chikatilo was finally arrested on November 20th, 1990 after officers assigned to his surveillance witnessed Chikatilo exhibiting extremely suspicious behavior. He initially denied involvement in any murder until Dr. Bukhanovsky spoke with him. Believing that Bukhanovsky was interviewing him to understand the mind of a killer from a scientific context, Chikatilo revealed to Bukhanovsky that he indeed was the murderer. He not only revealed full details of each murder, he took authorities to previously undiscovered sites where he had hidden remains. By the end of the interrogation he had admitted to murdering 56 victims.

Chikatilo was arrested on November 20th, 1990. Charged with the murder of 53 victims, his trial began on April 14th, 1992 and ended in August. The verdict however, was not handed down until October 15th. On that date Andrei Chikatilo was found guilty of 52 counts of murder. On February 14th, 1994 Chikatilo was taken from his death row cell to a soundproofed room in Novocherkassk prison and executed with a single gunshot behind the right ear.

Alexander Pichushkin

Alexander Pichushkin

On April 9th 1974, while Chikatilo was carrying out his murderous existence, somewhere else in Russia an equally evil entity was being born. Despite Alexander Pichushkin’s normal childhood was he born to be the sadistic killer that he became? According to research, a childhood accident with a swing set created monster that some called The Chessboard Killer or The Bitsa Park Maniac.

Pichushkin began his murderous rampage in 1992. From that point he had admitted to murdering 61 victims. Pichushkin has said his aim was to kill 64 people, the number of squares on a chessboard. He recanted this at a later time admitting that even if he had gotten to 64 victims he would’ve continued to kill until he was caught. Targeting elderly men mainly, he killed without reservation and had no problem with murdering women and children as well. Pichushkin met many of his victims while playing chess in the park. In most cases he would invite his victims to drink vodka with him, catch them from behind and bash them about the head with a hammer. He then stuck vodka bottles in their skulls to ensure that they did not survive. Authorities in Russia speculate that Pichushkin felt a need to kill motivated not only by socio-psychotic impulses but as a direct desire to outdo the body count of Andrei Chikatilo.

On June 16th, 2006 Pichushkin was arrested. During the filming of his arrest and interrogation investigators were amazed at how easily he recalled exactly how he killed many of his victims as well as the locations where he buried their remains. During his interviews many times his ego would take over as he spoke of his crimes in a boastful tone. When investigators asked Pichushkin why he committed these murders he claimed that while killing people he felt like God as he decided whether his victims should live or die. “In all cases I killed for only one reason. I killed in order to live, because when you kill, you want to live,” he once said. “For me, life without murder is like life without food for you. I felt like the father of all these people, since it was me who opened the door for them to another world.”

On October 27th 2007 Judge Vladimir Usov convicted Alexander Pichushkin of 49 murders and 3 attempted murders. He was sentenced to life in prison with the first 15 years to be spent in solitary confinement.

Luis Garavito

Luis Garavito

Next up is La Bestia, (The Beast) Luis Garavito. Garavito was convicted of the rape, torture and murder of 147 boys, though actual counts have his victim list at somewhere near 300. Described by local media as “the world’s worst serial killer”, the worst thing about this case is that he may be RELEASED IN 2021.

Luis Garavito was born in January 25th, 1957 in Génova, Quindío, Colombia. The eldest of 7, Garavito was allegedly the victim of physical, emotional and sexual abuse as a child. Spending most of his days drunk, Garavito wandered from town to town in Colombia finding work where he could. The impulses to kill overcame him in 1992 and Garavito began passing himself off as a street vendor, monk, indigent, disabled person or a representative of fictitious foundations for the elderly and children’s education, to gain entrance to schools as a speaker. Garavito lured children into hidden areas that were over- grown with high plants. He promised either payment for easy work, or drugs, or made other offers. The children were tied up, tortured, raped and killed by at least one cut in the lateral part of the neck, or by decapitation. During the killings, Garavito was drunk.

Unfortunately, disappearing children is commonplace in Colombia as well as other poverty stricken cities. The majority of his victims seem to have been “street children,” children that look to the streets as a way of sheer survival. Many times they will work odd jobs, beg, sell newspapers, chewing gum, shine shoes, basically anything they could think of to turn a buck. Political violence as well as poverty would separate these children from their families. In “The Darker Side of Evil,” we use the term, “throwaway people” to classify the people most often targeted by serial killers.

Due to the sheer ghastly nature of the children’s remains, authorities initially believed that a satanic cult was at work. Several discoveries alerted police that this was more than the usual missing children of day today Colombian life. One such discovery was a mass grave of 25 boys, found on November 1997, in a ravine in the western coffee-growing city of Pereira. Another was In February 1998, 2 naked corpses of children were discovered lying next to each other outside of the town of Genua, Colombia. A third corpse was found the next day, only feet away. As a matter of fact, a great many corpses were being discovered throughout various towns. Several corpses; that fitting various modus operandi; which meant several different serial killers operating simultaneously in the same geographical area. One of these killers; Pedro Alonso Lopez, (strangler of the Andes) was suggested but after further review it was noted that Lopez’ 70 known victims were women and girls only.

Due to governmental financial restraints, profiling as we know it was not an option. A four man task force was put together to cross reference similarities in murders as well as other likenesses. As investigations heated up Garavito began to make mistakes in discretion. Bodies of boys being found were traced directly back to him being the last individual the child was seen with alive. Garavito, being an alcoholic, began leaving liquor bottles at crime scenes; more evidence that would assist in his eventual capture.

Garavito was captured on April 22nd, 1999. He confessed to murdering 140 children. However, he is still under investigation for the murder of 172 more children in more than 59 towns in Colombia. The court found Garavito guilty of 138 counts of murder, however he is still under investigation for the murder of over 200 other children. Garavito’s sentence of 1,853 years and 9 days is symbolic. Colombian law prohibits anyone to serve any longer than 30 years in prison. To add insult to injury; because he helped police find some bodies, as well as to his confessions, his sentence was further reduced to 22 years. In actuality he may possibly qualify for even earlier release for further cooperation and good behavior.

Dr. Henry Howard Holmes/Herman Webster Mudgett

H.H. Holmes

As I leave the post office I turn around to take one last look before I go. Not that there is anything amazing about the architecture of this particular building, I look back and marvel at the fact that approximately 125 years ago, in this very location stood the murder castle.

Dr. H.H. Holmes was born Herman Webster Mudgett on May 16th, 1861 in Gilmanton, New Hampshire. A bright child, Holmes excelled at scholastics, which made him a target for bullies. On one occasion his classmates forced young Herman to stand face to face with science skeleton, even placing the bony hand upon Holmes’ shoulder and head. Initially frightening him, Holmes began a lifelong fascination with death. As he got older Holmes took up the hobby of dissecting animals.

In 1884 Mudgett graduated from University of Michigan’s Department of Medicine & Surgery and immediately began pulling insurance scams with laboratory cadavers. He also traveled extensively during this time. Holmes was known for meeting a woman in one location, marrying her; then moving across the country and do the same thing but never bothering to get divorced; all the while taking advantage of his new wife as well as her money.

Holmes arrived in Chicago in 1886 and soon met Elizabeth S. Holton. Elizabeth and her husband owned a drug store and hired Holmes. After the passing of her husband Holmes made Elizabeth an offer for the store. Using the store’s inventory and fixtures as collateral Holmes obtained the funds necessary to purchase the store. Oddly enough, Mrs. Holton came up missing soon after the transaction. When asked about her whereabouts and well-being, Holmes would tell concerned inquirers that she had moved to California to be close to relatives. Finally, having obtained necessary finances, Holmes constructed a three story hotel across the street from the drug store.

“The World’s Fair Hotel,” located at 601-603 West 63rd Street, was enormous for its time leading neighborhood residents to dub the building, “the castle.” Measuring 162 feet long and 50 feet wide; the castle was constructed to house visitors to the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. The hotel’s ground floor consisted of commercial space as well as Holmes’ relocated drug store. From the exterior the hotel was a grand creation and a blessing to the city; within the walls of the hotel a different and horrific story was told. To the untrained, unsuspecting eye, visitors saw basic everyday hotel rooms. Unbeknownst to everyone, the hotel contained a labyrinth of rooms with doorways opening to brick walls, oddly-angled hallways, stairways leading to nowhere, doors that could only be opened from the outside and a host of other strange and deceptive constructions. Some rooms were soundproofed, others were gas chamber type. The sinister purposes of these odd assemblies were about to unfold.

The atrocities that took place within this hotel were mind boggling. Hundreds of guests were killed for the sheer delight and comeuppance of Holmes. He didn’t limit his murderous tendencies to guests; many hotel employees became victims of their demented employer. As a condition of employment they were required to take out life insurance policies, for which Holmes would pay the premiums, but was also the beneficiary. The consummate ladies’ man and hustler, Holmes dated a number of women; some married, some single; all disappeared. The bottom line was that many people came to Chicago to see the World’s Fair but, for one reason or another, never returned home. Some victims were killed with rooms filling with poisonous gas. Others were submerged in acid pits. Guests were hung up by chains as their skin was methodically removed. Skeletal remains were sold to nearby colleges and universities, remains that couldn’t be salvaged were disposed of inside two giant furnaces.

According to missing persons report from that time as many as 200 victims may have met their end due to Holmes. However, when Holmes was finally apprehended in Philadelphia, he was charged with insurance fraud. Chicago police had begun investigations into the goings on within the hotel. Attempting to come up with an actual victim count was near impossible because bodies in the basement were so badly dismembered and decomposed that it was difficult to tell how many bodies there actually were. As Philadelphia police investigated Holmes, they too found that he had committed at least one murder in their jurisdiction.

In October 1895, Holmes was put on trial for insurance fraud and murder. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. Once Holmes had been found guilty has confessed to 30 murders he has committed. During his stay in prison he wrote an unabridged confession of his diabolical activities at the murder castle. On May 7, 1896, Holmes was hanged at Moyamensing Prison, also known as the Philadelphia County Prison.

Viktor Sayenko and Igor Suprunyuck

Viktor Sayenko & Igor Suprunyuk

(Warning Graphic Video Enclosed)

Known as the the Dnepropetrovsk maniacs; Viktor Sayenko and Igor Suprunyuk, are two 19 year olds convicted of 21 murders in the Ukraine. These demented youths had the audacity to videotape some of their crimes in an attempt to become famous. A third accomplice Alexander Hanzha was charged only with two armed robberies that took place before the murder spree.

Suprunyuk and Sayenko began their murder spree on June 25, 2007. Ekaterina Ilchenko was walking home from her friend’s apartment. According to Sayenko’s confession, he and Suprunyuck were out for a walk Suprunyuck brandished a hammer and as Ilchenko walked past, Suprunyuck spun around and struck her in the side of the head. Later that same night they murdered Roman Tatarevich. Tatarevich was asleep on a bench. Suprunyuk and Sayenko smashed his head in with blunt objects rendering him unrecognizable.

Murders such as these carried on throughout July of that year. They seemed to select their victims at random or by opportunity. Most of their targets were vulnerable to attack, including women, children, elderly, vagrants, or people under the influence of alcohol. Not particular in how they killed, Suprunyuk and Sayenko tended to use whatever was available to them. Most of the victims were killed using blunt objects, including hammers and steel construction bars. They directed their attacks at the victims’ faces, leaving them unrecognizable. If time permitted, some victims were mutilated and tortured; some had their eyes gouged out while they were still alive. One of the victims was a pregnant woman, whose fetus was cut out of her womb.

Due to the manner in which victims were killed, investigators initially made no connection in the killings. The crimes began to be linked when Vadim Lyakhov survived an attack from the two. Lyakhov was originally thought of as a suspect and was even charged until it became clear that he couldn’t have committed these crimes. He then cooperated with the investigators to create sketches of the attackers. On July 14, residents of the village of Diyovka reported seeing 45‑year-old Natalia Mamarchuk riding her scooter. Witnesses then told authorities that two men knocked her down then took out a hammer or a pipe and bludgeoned her to death as she lay on the ground. The men then jumped on her scooter and drove off. Onlookers gave chase, but quickly lost sight of the attackers. Ironically, two children hiding in a tent nearby, saw the crime and gave descriptions of the men that matched descriptions given by Lyakhov.

A manhunt of over 2000 investigators ensued. Suprunyuk and Sayenko were arrested on July 23, 2007 when Suprunyuck attempted to sell a mobile phone stolen from one of the victims in a local pawn shop. When the phone was turned on to show that it worked, its location was traced by law enforcement agents. Hanzha was arrested later that day at home. The three suspects attended school together and had been life long friends. During interviews, investigators were made aware of the existence of video tapes of murders. The suspects’ mobile phones and personal computers contained multiple video recordings of the murders. Early videos captured Suprunyuk and Sayenko torturing and killing animals in the neighborhood. Latter videos showed the suspects torturing, murdering and mutilating humans. A video was leaked to the Internet, showing the murder of 48‑year-old Sergei Yatzenko.

On February 11, 2009, the court in Dnepropetrovsk found Igor Suprunyuk and Viktor Sayenko guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced both to life imprisonment. Suprunyuk was found guilty of 21 murders, Sayenko of 18. They also received fifteen-year sentences after being found guilty on the robbery charges. Alexander Hanzha, who was not involved in the killings, was found guilty of robbery and sentenced to nine years in prison.

Moses Sithole

Moses Sithole

Moses Sithole, aka “The ABC Murderer” is South Africa’s worst serial killer to date. The media gave him the nickname because his murders began in Atteridgeville, continued in Boksburg and finished in Cleveland, a suburb of Johannesburg. Sithole was born November 17th, 1964 in Vosloorus, a poor neighborhood of Boksburg, Gauteng in apartheid-era South Africa. His father died when Sithole was young. Unable to handle the parenting responsibilities alone, Sithole’s mother left him and his siblings in the care of local police causing them to spend the next three years in an orphanage. Citing mistreatment as the reason, Sithole ran away from the orphanage and back to his mother. He would eventually take up residence with an older brother.

Sithole began his criminal life in his twenties as a rapist. It would be his third victim that stepped up and testified against him. For his crimes Moses spent 7 years in prison. During his time in prison Sithole claimed that he had been sexually assaulted by other inmates. Released in 1994, Sithole began a murder spree that South Africa had not ever seen before.

Pretending to be a businessman, Sithole would gain the confidence of young ladies. Employment was scarce in the impoverished town of Atteridgeville so it was not difficult for Sithole to fool his victims using potential job opportunities as a lure. Gaining their trust, he would walk them out to the field then overpower, rape and strangle them.

By the summer of 1995, Sithole had claimed over 30 victims and the public was in an uproar for answers. At that time South Africa had more than their share of serial killers so authorities reached out to former FBI profiler Robert Ressler for assistance. Bodies fitting the same modus operandi had been found in Atteridgeville, Boksburg and Cleveland so the media gave the unknown perpetrator the title “The ABC Murderer”. In October 1995 witnesses reported to authorities that Sithole had been seen with a victim. Investigators pulled his file and retrieved information concerning his prior rape conviction. Police began keeping an eye on Sithole, but he soon vanished. While in hiding Sithole contacted South African journalist Tamsen de Beer and identified himself as the wanted murderer. Sithole told the reporter that the murders were in retaliation for being sent to prison though he was innocent. He also claimed that he had murder 78 women, twice as many as police had previously thought. To prove his claim, Sithole told the reporter of the whereabouts of the remains of one of his victims. Authorities found Sithole in Johannesburg. Sithole was shot as he attacked an officer with a hatchet during the arrest. As he was being treated Sithole was found to be HIV positive.

On December 5th 1997, Justice David Carstairs sentenced Sithole to 50 years’ imprisonment for each of the 38 murders, 12 years’ imprisonment for each of the 40 rapes, and five years’ imprisonment for each of the six robberies, all sentences to run consecutively; the total effective sentence is 2,410 years. Judge Carstairs went on to say that had it not been abolished, he would have sentenced Sithole to death.

We’ve all had relationship break-ups. People handle this situation in various manners. Often times it’s a mutual agreement between the couple. Other times it comes out of the blue and leaves one of the involved parties hurt and devastated. Regardless of the reason behind the split, for most of us the end result is the same. We hurt for a while then we get over it.

In the late 1990’s it was a breakup that led to a 5 year reign of one of the most prolific serial killers in Chinese history, Yang Xinhai; the Monster Killer. Yang Xinhai confessed to committing 65 murders and 23 rapes between 1999 and 2003. The murders ended 2003 when he was apprehended by authorities. Yang Xinhai was found guilty and executed in February of 2004.

Yang Xinhai was born in Zhengyang County, Zhumadian, Henan Province, China on July 29, 1968; the youngest of four children. In 1985, the 17 year old high school drop-out traveled around China working as a laborer. When work was not available Yang became a burglar. In 1988 and 1991, Yang was sentenced to labor camps for theft in Xi’an, Shaanxi and Shijiazhuang, Hebei. In 1996, he was sentenced to five years in prison for attempted rape in Zhumadian, Henan and released in 1999.

After his release in 1999, Yang met and began a brief relationship with a young female student. After learning of his criminal past the young lady broke all ties with Yang. Based upon his interrogation, this break-up is what Yang cites as the motive of his 5 year, 67 victim, killing spree. His rampage was so extensive that it would take hours to chronicle each murder separately; however I will enlighten you on just how he would operate.

Calling upon his experience as a burglar he would gain entry to a home. Always wearing new clothes and oversized shoes he noiselessly roamed through the home, not to steal; simply to murder. Using axes, hammers and shovels, he would violently slaughter his victims. Many times he would quietly take out whole families, primarily farmers. From 1999 through 2003 Yang Xinhai terrorized the provinces of Anhui, Hebei, Henan and Shandong, murdering anyone unfortunate enough to be at home that night. During these home invasions he would rape the women before murdering them in cold blood. The beginning of the end of his bloody rampage occurred in October 2002. Yang killed a father and a six-year-old girl with a shovel and raped a pregnant woman. The woman survived the attack and despite enduring serious head injuries; described the assailant to authorities.

During a police “shakedown,” of nightclubs in Cangzhou, Hebei; Yang was brought in for questioning. Authorities noticed that he appeared excessively nervous and soon found out why. A person fitting his exact description was wanted for murder in four provinces. As the interrogation intensified, Yang eventually confessed to 65 murders, 23 rapes and five attacks causing serious injury: 49 murders, 17 rapes and five attacks in Henan; eight murders and three rapes in Hebei; six murders and two rapes in Anhui; and two murders and one rape in Shandong. DNA matches in several crime scenes sealed the cases against Yang. Ironically, unbeknownst to Yang, he had contracted HIV from one of his rape victims. When asked about the reasons for the murders, Yang told authorities that he lashed out against society due to this girlfriend breaking up with him. From that breakup he developed a hatred of people. When asked about his crimes he was quoted as saying: “When I killed people I had a desire. This inspired me to kill more. I don’t care whether they deserve to live or not. It is none of my concern…I have no desire to be part of society. Society is not my concern.”

On February 1st, 2004 Yang Xinhai was found guilty of 67 murders and 23 rapes, and sentenced to death in Luohe City Intermediate People’s Court, Henan. In an instance of swift justice Yang was executed only 13 days later. On St. Valentine’s Day 2004, Yang Xinhai was executed by firing squad. Thus was the end of The Monster Killer, Yang Xinhai.

I have been looking at the cases in NY, NJ and Penn. 4 Bodies in NJ a few years ago might be related to the 4 bodies found in NY.There is a serial strangler / rapist / killer in Philly.More details here.

Title: The Mad Sculptor: The Maniac, The Model, and the Murder that Shook the Nation Author: Harold Schechter Release Date: February 18, 2014 Order Here: Amazon As part of The Mad Sculptor (Of True Crime) Blog Tour, Harold will answer questions about the book, his writing process, and the MADNESS in his topics of study as a preeminent true crime writer: murd […]

thedeathmerchant: Bobby wants to buy some art supplies so he’s offering to *one person only* a custom portrait of their choice for $100, considerably cheaper than what he usually charges. It can be anyone you want–yourself, a parent, a boyfriend/girlfriend, even your pet. Some of his portrait work is shown above. If you’re interested, email me. Admin@deathme […]

thedeathmerchant: Phillip Carl Jablonski was convicted of killing five women, two of which were his wives, in California and Utah between 1978 and 1991. He was found guilty of all murders and sentenced to death. He’s currently residing on death row in San Quentin.*Please note- the spelling and grammar are straight from Jablonski himself. Upon being release […]

lostcrimeprincess: Joe Metheny, also known as “The Cannibal Killer”, was a serial killer in Baltimore from 1976- 1995. He confessed to killing 10 people in the Baltimore area and feeding them to the customers of his meat stand. He preyed upon women with drug or alcohol problems and said he felt “compelled to strangle them”. He is currently serving life in p […]

“I dug up the skull of Cathy Magaziner then washed out the maggots and made love to it. The words ‘I’m sorry’ will never come out, for they would be a lie.” - Joe Roy Metheny (via abyssofdisease) He died today!!

findingyourinmate:What’s good? My name is Soy. My ethnicity is Cambodian, Thai, Chinese & French. I am 25 years old. I stand about 4′10″ (fun size), 133lbs. I am down to earth, loyal, blunt, a go getter, productive, funny, outgoing and I love to try new things.I love to laugh and I am extremely optimistic in the worst situations. I am currently in […]

raminkarimloser: “Goodbye -Jared Lee Loughner XOXO Jan 8th 1:54pm”A brief note written in the journal of mass shooter Jared Lee Loughner. On January 8, 2011 Loughner shot 19 people gathered at a Safeway in Tucson, Arizona. 6 were killed, and AZ Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was critically wounded after being shot in the head at point-blank range. Loughner […]